Gold futures wrapped up the week in bearish mode as prices retreated in the domestic market on Friday after US Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen termed a 2015 interest rate hike as “appropriate”, dimming the luster for the precious metal as a store of value. Yellen sees the world’s top central bank raising interest rates for the first time since 2006 this year, if economic data comes in line with forecasts, with a gradual pace of tightening, thereafter. Better than expected US inflation data further bolstered the case for rate tightening in 2015. Core consumer prices in the US climbed 0.3 per cent in April 2015 from the previous month, the biggest gain since January 2013, signaling a pickup in inflationary pressures in the world’s biggest economy. A stronger dollar also kept pressure on gold by curbing the demand for the precious metal as an alternative asset. Stronger greenback makes gold more expensive for those holding other currencies, thus dimming demand. Gold may extend losses today amid renewed US rate hike fears. At the MCX, Gold futures for June 2015 contract closed at Rs 27,082 per 10 gram, down by 0.10 per cent after opening at Rs 27,159, against the previous closing price of Rs 27,108. It touched the intra-day low of Rs 27,053 till the closing.